Proverbs 6 · משלי

My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast struck thy palms for a stranger,

if thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, caught with the sayings of thy mouth:

do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour; go, abase thyself, and importune thy neighbour.

Give no sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.

Deliver thyself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

which having no guide, overseer, or ruler;

provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

so shall thy poverty come like a marauder, and thy want like an armed man.

A base person, a wicked man, is one that walks with a crowed mouth,

that winks with his eyes, that taps with his feet, that points with his fingers;

perverseness is in his heart; he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

There are six things which the Lord hates, and seven which are an abomination to him:

a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked thoughts, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

a false witness that breathes out lies, and one that sows discord among brethren.

My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the Tora of thy mother:

bind them continually upon thy heart, and tie them about thy neck.

When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; when thou liest down, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

For the commandment is a lamp; and Tora is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

to keep thee from the evil woman, from the smoothness of the tongue of an alien.

Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; nor let her take thee with her eyelids.

For by means of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

Can one walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

So he that goes in to his neighbour’s wife; whoever touches her shall not go unpunished.

Do not men despise a thief, even if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry?

And if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

He who commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he who does that destroys his soul.

A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

For jealousy is the rage of a man: and he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

He will not regard any ransom; nor will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.